French authorities arrest Russian-born Pavel Durov founder of telegraphat Paris Airport. They’re now asking him to look in court docket over alleged crimes associated to his messaging app. The cruel motion displays an more and more harsh liberal crackdown on digital freedoms.
Police detained French-Russian tech billionaire Pavel Durov at Le Bourget airport, sources instructed AFP. French investigators issued the arrest warrant as a part of an investigation into accusations of fraud, drug trafficking, organized crime, selling terrorism and cyberbullying. Durov is now making ready to look in court docket.
The aggressive transfer exhibits how far liberal authorities will go to discredit a number of innovators who refuse to succumb to their management.
The British “Guardian” reports,
Durov is accused of failing to take motion to curb legal exploitation of his platform and was intercepted on Saturday evening after arriving in Paris from Baku on a personal jet. “Sufficient is sufficient with Telegram impunity,” mentioned one investigator, who expressed shock that Durov knew he was a needed man and flew to Paris.
Russian authorities accused France of “refusing to cooperate”. The Russian embassy in Paris has requested entry to Durov and mentioned France has up to now “prevented involvement” within the state of affairs.
Durov left Russia in 2014 after refusing to adjust to Kremlin calls for to close down opposition teams on the VK social community he based when he was 22. VK and turned its consideration to Telegram.
Telegram began out like some other messaging app, however rapidly grew into a strong social community. In contrast to its rivals, Telegram not solely permits customers to speak one-on-one, but in addition permits customers to hitch massive teams of as much as 200,000 individuals.
Customers can even create broadcast channels to share their info extensively and focus on concepts brazenly — one thing that apparently makes liberal governments uncomfortable.
After his arrest, right-wing American commentator and conspiracy theorist Tucker Carlson wrote on X that Durov was “a residing warning to any platform proprietor who refuses to scrutinize the reality as required by authorities and intelligence companies.”
In an interview with Carlson earlier this 12 months, Durov mentioned the app ought to stay a “impartial platform” and never a “geopolitical participant.”
Durov mentioned within the interview that he got here up with the thought of launching an encrypted messaging app after being pressured by the Russian authorities whereas working at VK.
He mentioned customers “just like the independence of the Telegram app.” “Additionally they love privateness and freedom, [there are] There are lots of explanation why somebody would change to Telegram,” he instructed Carlson.
Pavel Durov left Russia when the federal government tried to take management of his social media firm Telegram. However in the long run, it was not Putin who arrested him as a result of he allowed the general public to train their freedom of speech. This can be a Western nation, an ally of the Biden administration and an enthusiastic NATO member,… https://t.co/F83E9GbNHC
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) August 24, 2024
Pavel Durov’s arrest is not only a authorized challenge; it’s a direct assault on freedom of expression. The Liberal authorities has used this as an excuse to crack down on platforms it doesn’t management. The expansion of Telegram and its position in open communications threatens their agenda. The aggressive transfer underscores their intolerance of dissent.
The way forward for digital freedom is at stake.
